Advising week helps students stay on track

Winter 2015 is soon coming to an end — don’t be the student left without classes.

If you are currently a student and need assistance with picking classes, or are not sure what classes to take next, CSUSB offers academic advising services.

“In some cases, you will be able to speak with a well-trained peer advisor. In other cases, you will be assigned to a faculty advisor,” states the CSUSB academic advising website.

Advisors can help with enrollment and registering for the correct classes.

“One of the comments we hear from students is, ‘What classes do I take?’” said Star Kafovalu-Wildes, an academic advisor. “Meeting with an academic advisor (staff/peer/faculty) can help students make sure they take the necessary courses and be on track to graduating.”

Departments may place a hold on a student MyCoyote account, which can only be removed by meeting with an advisor.

If this hold is not removed, the student will not be able to register for classes. If the student is unaware that they have a hold, it will take the student longer to register and they may not get the classes they need.

“Students are made aware not only of the importance of meeting with an advisor, but bringing to their attention that priority registration for the upcoming term is already upon us. Students have time to clear any holds so they can register on time,” said Kafovalu-Wildes.

Advisors can also recommend various campus resources from tutoring services to internships, and help students understand the numerous campus policies and procedures, continued Kafovalu-Wildes.

“Advising has always been around, but the promotion of advising has culminated in Coyote Advising Week by the Advising and Academic Services Office,” said Matt Markin. “We have been doing this promotion since 2012.”

Academic advising, with the help of other departments on campus, was able to distribute over 1,500 flyers to students on campus within a week.

The flyers were distributed in hopes of students having a better understanding of academic services.

“I recently got reinstated back into the university at the beginning of the school year. I met with my advising professor for my major to make sure I was on track and taking the correct courses. The professor was not very helpful,” said David Anthony, student.

Anthony visited the Academic Services instead.

“I then visited the office of Academic Services office where Markin was very particular with the order I should complete my classes in, and we even visited a website called ratemyprofessor.com to make sure the professors were good,” Anthony continued.